he did this, and then
looking at her boat. Presently he went into the captain's cabin. He
was not there long. When he came out he ordered a boat to be manned,
with the crew all armed, and directed the crews of three or four guns on
either side to go quietly to their quarters. I saw, meantime, that the
American's boat, instead of pulling up alongside, was passing astern of
us, so as to meet the schooner, now rapidly approaching our weather
quarter. She was still within hearing when the first lieutenant
shouted, "Our despatches are ready--come on board!" But the people in
the boat pretended not to hear, and pulled on towards the schooner. On
this Sommers was ordered to take command of the boat, and to proceed on
board the stranger. To my great delight I got leave from Uncle Tom to
accompany him. It was very kind--it was the first piece of favouritism
he had shown me. Dickey Snookes was quite jealous when he saw me jump
into the boat. "Ah, Pringle, you'll get knocked on the head, my boy,
depend on that!" was his encouraging observation. Away we pulled
towards the schooner. Her boat had reached her, and was hoisted up. We
had before not observed more than a dozen or fifteen men at the utmost.
There were now more than double that number on her deck, or about her
rigging. Every stitch of canvas she could carry was set; her yards were
braced sharp up, and away she went like a shot on a bowline. "Give way,
my lads, give way!" cried Sommers, and the men did give way, pulling
with all their might; but the schooner went through the water much
faster than we did, and in spite of all our efforts soon left us far
behind. "That was the meaning of all his politeness about the letters--
he expected to hoodwink us, did he? the rogue!" exclaimed Sommers. "But
though we do not catch him, the frigate will; there is no fear of that!"
We pulled on after the schooner some time longer, but Sommers at length
saw that the chase was perfectly hopeless. "The worst of it is, that
the frigate will have to heave to to pick us up," he observed. He then
asked me if I should mind letting the frigate stand on after the chase,
and stand the chance of being picked up when she had caught her. I
cannot say that I particularly liked the notion of being left all alone
in a boat in the middle of the Atlantic. Still I did not like to say
so. However, the captain settled the point by heaving the frigate to as
she came up to us, and ordering us